Pest's face remained beet red as he gathered a good amount of hay from one area and put it to the side. In time, two haybeds appeared, though thinner.

As fairies used no tools, not even candles, his night vision must have surpassed even that of an owl, Fanli decided.

Fanli stopped herself from singing his praises more than once. When in her human form, she could barely see in the dark. Pest moved unhindered.

But as an ogre saw life differently, and therefore, Fanli perceived him clearly. She also saw something else but hesitated in sharing.

"There. And don't worry. The hay is fresh. My father's good about that at least. But he says it's just a left-over habit from when I was a child and would do my business anywhere and everywhere."

The grit in his voice came from a mixture of anger and humiliation.

Fanli risked prodding that. "So which corner of the room do you do your business in now?"

He slowed in picking up a blanket.

His anger mounted but Fanli smiled. If he could see her, she hoped he'd also see that she did not care how he lived.

Finally, he pointed. "That one."

Fanli choked back a cough. "What?"

But then she focused on him and saw his smile instead. They both laughed and he picked up a second blanket and spread it above the hay. He'd given Fanli's more.

"Here. Do you still have your chicken?"

She had. Even now, she held it in both hands. She made her way to the window. "I was going to put it out and let it run free—"

"Best if you didn't. Father's always said it's bad luck to reject a gift. It'll attract brownies, or some such nonsense."

Hands now bare, Fanli turned to him. "Um...."

They stared at one another until he chuckled. "If anyone asks, just put the blame on me. Here, I'm all set."

A minute later, they stood before the two beds of hay. The distance separating them was a concern. On the floor between the beds, the orange dress rested—shining brighter than ever.

He wouldn't speak. A flood of relief washed over her once the orange turned yellow. It wasn't as bright as her proper treasure, but...but it was something.

At first rigid, she risked glancing at him. He only watched her treasure.

"I'm so much trouble," she admitted.

"Just don't cry anymore. I didn't want to leave you here, but I had no way to help you stop. Having my mother give you false joy was terrible of me. I've had that false joy for years and hated it. I'm sorry about that."

His words tore her in two.

No, it hadn't felt good bawling alone, but considering the lengths he'd gone, she was touched. He interlocked their fingers and stared at her hand for some time. "Yesterday left me gutted. It was stupid what I'd said and I'm sorry for that." With a brush of his thumb on her skin, he admitted, "I wasn't sure what to do or how to respond but I'm not proud of how I finally did. There's no perhaps. Because I don't want to lose this or lose you. And yeah, I went to those dragons but...."

He was talking nonsense. These were dragons, not people easily trifled with.

The fact that he walked away with his head still attached was more than she could hope for. But ogre treasure attracted such things and it was something an ogre'd always compulsively seek to create. Now, more than ever, she sought to fix this—to be human.

"You shouldn't have done that," Fanli said, turning to face him.

"But what else could I do?"

She found herself watching their grip now as well. "I'll go to Wen and leave with her right away. I need not make a temporary transformation after I get my wish. I now want enough magic to be human forever."

But Pest only watched her, not at all contented. No matter, Fanli brimmed with enough excitement for both of them.

Fanli tried to sit but he held her hand. "Wait."

Heart beating fast, Fanli did just that—she waited.

"You said the world looks dull in human form. Won't you miss the colors?"

Fanli regarded him in doubt. "I'll experience other things to make me happy.

But before she could lie, Pest held her up again.

"Fan.... My—my father'll never approve. I'm sorry. He—he's not a kind person. Even if you were human with a wish. I don't think it'll matter to him."

His words stunned her. No, fairies weren't kind. None of them were. No one would be surprised by that admission.

Fanli regarded the dress yet again and came to a conclusion.

"Then I'll offer him some ogre treasure as payment. It'll shrink the size of the dress and I—I won't be able to use ogre magic to make more when human, but—"

"Fan...."

He had nothing more to say but fear anchored her to that spot. Little by little, her insides shriveled up and collapsed. This sinking feeling would have continued on if he hadn't held her face then kissed her.

His eyes burned with worry and unsurety but something else as well—daring.

"You—you don't mind giving up your treasure? You won't cry yourself to death, will you?"

A big smile peeked through her sadness. "No. Now, my treasure will simply change. That's all."

Pest hesitated then asked, "To us?"

Body burning, Fanli gave him a weak nod.

"And when I'm human, I won't make treasure anymore. And I won't be hunted."

"And you won't go into fits when you lose it," Pest muttered to himself.

He swallowed hard then ran his hand down her shoulder and interlocked their fingers. For a long while, his gaze lingered on where their grip joined.

Fanli wanted to assure him that he'd never have to see the green of her skin again.

But when she picked her gaze up, his lips met hers. He broke the kiss, panting against her, "Whenever I'm around you, I cause you trouble and whenever we part, you nearly die. Maybe I'm just bad luck."

His words had her smiling as she joked, "Or maybe it means we should never part."

The longing in his gaze held for some time. He kept it there even as he reached behind her to undo her top. The moment the support left her, she thought to look down but countered her action.

He took it from over her head and allowed it to fall.

Unsure how to respond, Fanli watched him in kind then rooted up his shirt. He raised his hands as she took it off. With the ease of his efforts to get the skirt untied, she wondered just how well he'd scrutinized her clothes. There wasn't much to what she wore but she had something underneath.

At his parted lips and hesitation, she took the initiative to undress fully and stand before him once more.

He tore his eyes off her finally and traced her collarbone.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get your proper treasure to you," he muttered.

Fanli decided to mimic his actions. Instead, she ran her fingertips along the bruises on his shoulders. He was a frightful sight.

"You could have been killed. Ogres have few treasures. Mine was too brilliant." Her gaze met his. "Because your friendship has made me so happy. In a twisted sense, I'm a bit proud that my treasure, out of all on that mount, was so valuable that it was the only one they took."

Pest parted his lips to answer but instead, continued the journey down to the center of her chest. With both hands, he ran his fingers upwards then around, then finally under her breasts.

The size of them concerned Fanli greatly. They weren't as subtle as humans'.

Wordlessly, Pest took one nipple into his mouth, then the other. He stroked up her belly, taking hold and forcing her breasts together. His efforts continued for some time until Fanli's reservations fell.

"Pest?"

Pinching the right nipple, he sucked on the left. "Hmm?"

"The beds. Wouldn't it be more comfortable if you combined them and...and we shared?"

After a long suck, he popped the stiff nipple out of his mouth and stood to face her. Now, his blush was for other reasons.

"I'm barely hanging on as is. I do not want to do anything—to make a mistake with you."

"A mistake?" When the answer came to Fanli, she focused on his collar again. "You mean my strength."

Pest let out a sigh. "No. That's not what I meant."

But it had her thinking along those lines. "I'll use some of my treasure to help me transform now—"

Before she could move, Pest caught hold of her waist. "No. Don't."

Fanli stared at him, stunned. "But why?" She hesitated. "Don't you want me?"

Considering all the women he'd slept with, this refusal was not only a shock, but a justifiable terror.

He didn't seem to have an answer at first, but finally said, "Don't waste it when I'm all beat up."

She wasn't convinced, so he kissed her lips.

"I'd rather be fully healthy so we could have a good memory then."

It sounded like an excuse. Now, standing in his room naked no longer enticed her. It brought embarrassment.

"You needn't trouble yourself."

Fanli dropped down and gathered her clothes. Her mind fell to how long it would take her to get home. And she would have acted on those thoughts as she crawled for her skirt on her hands and knees if not for a finger slipping between her legs.

The action stunned her, but then a warm mouth replaced it and she went rigid. Their posture was familiar and in that moment, Fanli remembered the nymph and how the faun had stimulated her.

Unsure how to respond, she reached back and brushed Pest aside. He came back, prodding her with his tongue. His finger, he ran up and down, meeting a small bud which he rubbed with vigor. Something wet traveled upwards, brushing her ass hole.

Alarmed, she shouted, "Not there."

Pest's answer came with a laugh. "What do you mean by that exactly? It was my nose."

He stood and shed his trousers then knelt behind her again. With his hot member, he traced her groove, prodded her tight opening then slipped past again.

"Are you sure you want this?" he asked.

Was she sure? She wasn't sure at all. Not even slightly sure. For one, the fact that fairies ruined women was known to everyone. But with Pest being stuck in his human form and unable to wield any magic outside the enchanted forest, did that mean his touch would be different?

Then Fanli thought about the already lengthy list of women Pest admitted to sleeping with and she calmed. He wasn't the sort to do something like that.

"Yes. I'm sure," Fanli said.

She shut her eyes tight and waited. Nothing happened.

Her knees began to ache against the stone floor by the time she looked back to see what the matter was.

Pest hesitated then said, "Then I want to take you on your back. Let me fix the beds."

Fanli's self-consciousness faded when he went on all fours and licked and sucked at her once more.

Her anticipation grew. He helped her to stand then went to work.

The dress, he put off to the side in a gentle fashion, giving him room to combine the hay.

Once he was done, he raised his hands to her and she knelt above him.

He sought a kiss but she hesitated.

"What?" he asked. When the thought occurred, he laughed. "Because your juices are on my lips?

Before she could answer, he held the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss. The tangy taste surprised her, and she would have vocalized her protest if not for the gentle digits playing along the back of her neck.

He guided her to lie but continued the kiss.

Their lips parted, and she could perceive nothing beyond his hot breath panting, "And you're really certain?"

That hesitation was back. She wasn't sure what to do with it.

"What's wrong? If you're afraid—"

"I'm not afraid. I think I've got the hang of it. The spot on your neck kind of locks you into a pose. Have you noticed?"

She hadn't. It was surprising that he had.

"I think we can do it like this without trouble."

And yet...he wasn't.

Their foreheads met as he confessed, "You're the only one I like being with usually. W—what if we do this and...and I feel the hollow after we're done?"

Fanli's heart took one last thud before the shock of his words robbed it of the power to beat again.

It was a thought—it was more than a thought.

"Because I don't mind if we enjoy one another this way. I don't need to be inside you to enjoy your body. I'd touch you wherever you wanted, however you wanted. Put my moth on you for as long as you wanted. And that would be enough for me. I swear."

Confusion filled Fanli's mind and she settled on the one thing she could understand clearly—no.

He didn't want to sleep with an ogre.

She tried to get up, but he tangled their legs and pulled her closer. Considering the bruised state of his body, she didn't want to risk injuring him further by moving away.

He was asking, Couldn't this be enough?

She supposed she should have asked that as well. He cared for her. That much she could see. He'd confronted dragons. No, he didn't succeed but that was still far more than she'd expected.

Even with all that in mind, however, this rejection stung. Now, the kisses along her throat and shoulder felt like something out of pity than affection.

"What's wrong?" Pest asked at length. What was wrong didn't really matter because Fanli was too embarrassed to say. A normal person would have understood and kept quiet, but Pest was far from normal. "You don't believe me, do you?"

Fanli feigned sleep. She had to make sense of her life and emotions because despite the insult he'd given with his rejection, she was happy to stay here just like this.

Surely, that wasn't normal.

Maybe something was wrong with her—and not just with being an ogre. She'd never admit it, but she feared losing Pest's interest just as much as he did. Lying here on him, one arm wrapped around her while the other traced her neck, down past her right nipple which he pinched, then up again, she was content.

But that wasn't normal.

It certainly wasn't when he kissed her cheek, then ear.

Unsure how to respond, Fanli traced his stomach. Something warm and smooth brushed her wrist and she pulled her hand back.

The pinching was there again and Pest whispered in her ear. "You don't have to touch it if you don't want to. I don't care."

Touch it?

She risked reaching past his bellybutton to find the warm pulsating member. Her pulling her hand away had him laughing.

"It's not a snake and it certainly doesn't bite. If it bothers you so much, I'll put something between us."

Fanli was disappointed in herself. No wonder he didn't want to do this with her. She wasn't really giving much of an incentive.

Finally, she dragged in a deep breath and grabbed at his pelvis without looking. He nearly came off the floor.

"Sorry." Fanli felt like hell.

Pest didn't look much better off. In fact, he'd moved his waist away from her in his half-rise.

Rather than anger, sympathy burned in his eyes as he lowered himself to lie once more.

She meant to turn with her back to him, but he held her waist then her shoulder. His eyes searched hers as he ran his fingers down her arm and held her hand. A blush crept up his face as he tugged her to him. Their foreheads touched and a moment later, Fanli perceived something in her grip.

He'd guided her hand and now held it in place. She wasn't quite sure what to do but his heavy breathing against her right cheek had her taking a kiss. She slipped from his grip in order to hold his face.

Admittedly, he'd been right about her hesitation. In truth, her own strength frightened her. This wasn't like an ogre's body that could heal and in some cases reform. She could do serious irreparable damage to her friend.

Still, she was more than just curious. Each hesitant pulling back then reaching down again had him smiling against her lips.

Finally, he laughed. "Fan, what is it you're trying to do exactly?"

Trying to do? She was trying to seduce him. And failing miserably at it.

He took another kiss then sunk lower and said, "Let me."

As she lay facing him, his left hand tucked behind her neck, he ran his right down past her full hips, and pulled on her ass, urging her leg up.

She was concerned with the fingers lightly brushing against her freckles until their pelvis pressed together and she became aware of his erection. That remained against her stomach while Pest's fingers traced her wet entrance, though this time the digit didn't enter.

Each touch of her neck had her aching to be penetrated. More than once, she stopped herself from guiding his manhood between her legs on her own.

Pest took special interest in her breasts. With his hands busy, he sucked and bit her right nipple again and again.

Hot, moist and at her limit, Fanli ran her fingers through his long hair and pushed him lower. Rather than take insult at her commanding him, he moaned on her nipple then complied.

This time when he spread her with his fingers, he gained better access to her pearl which he sucked with vigor. She gave off one wince and he responded by flicking her with his tongue. At the next suck, he was gentler. He also began working his member, stroking himself slowly. Along with his deep moans, he pressed his tongue against her opening, darting in and out.

She tried to reach for him but he guided her hands to her bosom, urging her to rub the already pointed nipples.

Fanli was unsure at first but complied.

He urged her to lie flat on her back, legs apart. On any normal day, she'd feel embarrassed but now being this vulnerable only enticed her further.

He reached up, brushing her hands aside as he traced both nipples with his thumb then pinched them in unison. The sensation spreading through her was familiar but something she wanted longer.

The world filled with color and Fanli's body trembled. She willed herself not to reach down to stroke his head—she didn't want to lose control of her power. Instead, she spread her arms wide and let the unfamiliar bliss fill her body.

Her muscles tensed. She let out a cry. Pest gave her nipples one last squeeze before bringing his hands down to aid his mouth. Two fingers slipped into Fanli as her joints continued to lock up.

She arched back. All the colors of the world rushed together, crashed into one another, then receded yet again.

Pest was diligent, still gently sucking then tracing her with his tongue then sucking again.

The moment Fanli's body relaxed, he kissed the inside of her right thigh then rose up to meet her. His hand still in place, he kissed her shoulder. When he finally brought his hand up and sucked his fingers, her body burned with shame, and she looked away.

Pest dragged her to him, face in her neck as he laughed. In truth, she didn't know what he found so entertaining, but her dwindling lust mixed with her inability to muster the confidence to try and please him left her embarrassed.

"Please stop laughing."

But Pest laughed harder. "You're the only person I've ever done this with."

That admission confused her. "But you've slept with plenty of women. You've said."

In this, he quieted. He brough her hands up and she hugged him in kind.

She expected a response, so she didn't force it. It would come eventually. But eons passed without him letting her go or answering her confusion.

"So...maybe the afterglow comes from this?" Fanli said, disappointed.

Pest tightened his grip. "I don't know. And I don't care. I'll never be with another woman again to find out."

Stunned, Fanli stopped herself from asking him to repeat his words. That was a big, confusing promise she couldn't risk misinterpreting. And if he meant it...? Would they simply continue on like this and nothing more?

They rested in that room for ages before something troubled Fanli—something impossible.

"Pest...." Fanli leaned away until she could meet his eyes. "How did you know my treasure was a dress?"